New Pakistan Taliban leadership to focus on Afghan war

According to Pakistan security sources Taliban militants based in Pakistan are currently reconsidering their leadership and the change will expectedly result in reduced attacks inside Pakistan however analysts believe that there will be no impact on security situation.

Pakistani government officials quoted by media agencies said Pakistan Taliban group which is among the most dangerous militant group in the world is possibly bringing changes in its leadership.

Security officials in Pakistani are expecting the change in the current Taliban leadership which is monitored by Hakimullah Mehsud will result in reduced attacks by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in the country.

Hakimullah Mehsud was elected as chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan last year however Pakistani security officials are saying that the Taliban leadership in Pakistan will mainly focus on Afghanistan to target coalition security forces led by United States of America.

A Pakistani military official speaking on the condition of anonymity said increased violence by Hakimullah Mehsud is possibly the main reason which has reduced his fame among the Taliban fighters.

The source further added Rahman (Wali-ur-Rahman) the current nominee of Taliban group in Pakistan will possibly replace Hakimullah Mehsud.

He said, “We are awaiting to witness the change in the current Taliban leader which is commanded by a violent leader and the replacement will hopefully lead to reconciliation of the Taliban group with the government of Pakistan.”

In the meantime another Pakistani military official in Wana, center of South Waziristan said Rahman is considered to be a semi-violent Taliban leader which paves the way for the chances to reduce fight against the Pakistan government despite Mehsud’s ideology to destroy everything here.

However Shahram Azhar a Pakistan analyst based in US said the change in the leadership of Taliban in Pakistan will not have any impact on the security situation.

Another political and security analyst Ali K. Cheshti based in Karachi said the leadership of Taliban is not in Pakistan but it is under the control of the Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad who is overseeing all the Taliban activities in the region and it depends to him how much he is interested in political agreements.

He also said that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is comprised of militants who are hardly connected with each other and a change in their leadership is not an easy task.

“Taliban group has a council which is comprised of fighters from various militant groups. Taliban group elects leaders and tribal policies also have role in this regard and it will be interesting to see if Mehsud’s tribe will be able to re-elect him as head of the Taliban group in Pakistan”, he said.

This comes as the Afghan government and Washington accuse Pakistani military intelligence — Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) for supporting Taliban group for bargaining with Kabul and Washington.

Political observers are believing that it will be far difficult for Pakistan to end supporting militant groups despite Islamabad recently handed over Taliban prisoners to pave the way for Afghan peace talks.